In this specification, the term “oil” shall be interpreted sufficiently broadly to include any type of an oil and further to include organic or other petroleum based products, such as, for example crude oil or refined petroleum products. In this specification, the term “microfiber” shall be interpreted to include either microfibers alone or nanofibers alone or combinations of microfibers and nanofibers.
Oil from oil spills is responsible for causing widespread damage to an environment, such as terrestrial or aquatic environments. As such, oil spills are of a global concern due to their environmental and economic impact.
Nonwoven polypropylene fibrous mats have been widely used in oil spill cleanup by applying the mats to the oil spill. Nonwoven polypropylene fibrous mats are not ideal, however, as their sorption capacity is relatively low and the use thereof results in the production of further pollution, namely the oil drenched fibrous mats used to collect the oil spill.
Another method for cleaning up oil spills is proposed in Chinese Patent No. CN101864275, which discloses a polystyrene microfiber oil absorbent material for offshore or water-surface oil spill treatment. The oil absorbent material is in the form of a film, blanket, absorption felt or oil absorbing cotton, which is applied to the oil spill for absorbing the oil.
A disadvantage of the method discloses in Chinese Patent No. CN101864275 is that after cleaning up the oil spill, the oil drenched absorbent material constitutes a pollutant which contributes to the pollution of the environment.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,756,948 describes another method for cleaning up oil spills. More specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 3,756,948 discloses a method for absorbing crude oil from a body of water or from a polluted beach, using crumbs of foamed polystyrene which are applied to the oil. The method includes dissolving oil saturated crumbs of foamed polystyrene such that the polystyrene dissolves and the oil is released so as to form two layers of different specific gravity, namely, a layer of solvent including dissolved polystyrene and a layer of crude oil. These layers are then separated by decantation or distillation.
One disadvantage of the method discloses in U.S. Pat. No. 3,756,948 is that the resultant solution containing dissolved polystyrene is itself a pollutant which further contributes to pollution of the environment.
A need therefore exists for a method of treating oil, particularly, treating an oil spill which method at least ameliorates the generation of further pollutants. A need further exists for a more environmentally advantageous method of processing these further pollutants in a manner which is less damaging to the environment.